Since July 2024, all new vehicle types sold in the EU must include some form of driver drowsiness and attention warning system, and the requirement extends to all new vehicle registrations from 2026, under the EU's General Safety Regulation. The most capable systems use an infrared camera aimed at the driver's face to track eye and head position directly; simpler and older systems infer attention indirectly from steering inputs. Euro NCAP now factors driver-monitoring capability into its safety ratings, which is pushing camera-based systems into the mainstream even outside the EU. The US has no federal mandate yet, but camera-based monitoring is now standard on most Level 2+ hands-free systems sold there regardless.
At a glance
| System type | How it detects attention | Where it's common |
|---|---|---|
| Camera-based (direct) | Infrared camera tracks eye/eyelid/head position | EU-mandated from 2024-2026; most Level 2+ hands-free systems |
| Steering-torque (indirect) | Detects hand pressure/micro-corrections on the wheel | Older and lower-cost ADAS implementations |
| Combined | Camera plus steering input plus vehicle behavior | Premium hands-free highway-driving systems |
What changed, and when
The EU's General Safety Regulation 2 (GSR2) made Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning systems mandatory on new vehicle types from July 2024, with the requirement rolling out to all new vehicles registered from July 2026 regardless of when the model was originally type-approved. This is part of a broader package that also mandates intelligent speed assistance and advanced emergency braking, but driver monitoring is the piece most directly tied to the rise of hands-free and higher-level driving features, since regulators want assurance a supervising driver is actually paying attention.
Camera-based vs indirect systems
Older and cheaper driver-attention systems work indirectly — they watch for the small steering corrections a alert driver naturally makes and flag a warning if the wheel goes untouched too long. This is easy to defeat (a weight on the wheel, a quick nudge) and doesn't actually confirm the driver is looking at the road. Camera-based systems, using an infrared sensor aimed at the driver's face, can track eyelid closure, gaze direction, and head pose directly, which is why regulators and Euro NCAP increasingly favor them and why they're now required for any system that allows extended hands-off driving.
Why hands-free features need this
As highway hands-free systems (see our related guide on hands-free highway driving) allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel for extended stretches, steering-torque monitoring stops working entirely — there's no torque to measure. That's why every credible hands-free Level 2 system on the market pairs the driving feature with a camera-based attention monitor, and why regulators treat the two as a package rather than separate features.
Euro NCAP's role in pushing adoption
Beyond the legal minimum, Euro NCAP's safety assist protocols now score how well a vehicle's driver-monitoring system detects drowsiness and distraction, with higher marks for camera-based systems that can distinguish between different distraction types (phone use, drowsiness, looking away) rather than a single generic alert. Because a strong Euro NCAP rating matters commercially well beyond Europe, this has pushed camera-based monitoring into markets with no legal mandate at all.
A driver-monitoring warning is not a backup driving system — it only tells you to pay attention. It does not take control of the vehicle or prevent a crash on its own.
The US and other markets
The US has no equivalent federal mandate for driver-monitoring systems as of 2026, though NHTSA has explored related rulemaking on driver-distraction detection. In practice, camera-based monitoring is already standard on the hands-free Level 2 systems sold by several major automakers in the US market, driven by liability concerns and global platform-sharing with EU-spec vehicles rather than by a US-specific rule.
Frequently asked questions
Is driver monitoring required in the US?
What's the difference between camera-based and steering-torque driver monitoring?
When did the EU require driver monitoring systems?
Does Euro NCAP require driver monitoring for a good safety rating?
Can I turn off my car's driver-monitoring camera?
Sources & further reading
- European Commission — General Safety Regulation fact sheet
- Thatcham Research — EU vehicle safety regulation explainer
- Euro NCAP — Safety Assist assessment protocols
Figures, prices and policy details were current at the last-updated date above. Automotive pricing, incentives and regulations change frequently — verify time-sensitive details with the linked primary sources. Read our editorial policy and fact-checking standards.
